Smurf: a Standard Female

Chinchillas are usually very healthy creatures if cared for properly, but occasionally they get sick or injured. In this section you'll find information on keeping your chinchilla healthy, signs of illness, and what to do if your chinchilla gets sick.

Keeping your chin healthy:

The easiest way to keep your chinchilla healthy is to buy a healthy animal, give it a proper diet, and keep the environment as stress free as possible. Here are a few pointers:

When purchasing a chinchilla, check it over carefully and look for any signs of illness or injury.

Have a knowledge\able vet check over your chin soon after you bring it home.

Quarantine new chinchillas from the rest of your "herd" for 2 weeks or so and watch for signs of illness.

Watch for signs of illness and act quickly when they occur.

Keep stress to a minimum.

Keep water bottles, food and dust bowls, cages, and other chin equipment clean.

Keep your chins out of drafts and direct sunlight.

Try and keep things quiet around the chin cage during the day so they can sleep.

Don't use cedar bedding.

Don't give them too many treats.

Make sure they have fresh pellets, hay, and water.

Keep rodents and insects out of the feed.

Don't feed dusty or moldy hay.

These are just a few tips to help keep your chins healthy, but if you start with a healthy chin and care for it properly you shouldn't have any problems.

Signs of illness:

Signs of illness or injury are sometimes hard to see in chinchillas and other "prey" animals. In the wild, if a predator sees a "sick" animal it is more likely to go after it, so hiding symptoms enhances an animal's chances of survival. But here are a few signs that something isn't quite right with your chin:

Discharge from the eyes, mouth, nose, or rear.

Bald, crusty patches in the fur or around the eyes.

Significant loss of fur or patchy, chewed, or greasy fur.

Dull eyes.

Lethargy or changes in eating/drinking patterns.

Diarhea or constipation.

Drooling, constantly wet fur around the chin, breast, and mouth.

White or light yellow teeth (should be rusty orange).

Seizures.

Significant weight loss.

What to do if your chin shows signs of illness:

Some signs of illness simply mean something isn't right with the chin's diet or environment, others are genetic, and others might be signs of severe problems.

A change in eating or drinking habits may mean your chinchilla is pregnant, or it could mean it has tooth problems or an illness of some kind. If it is possible that the chin is pregnant, keep it under observation. A pregnant chinchilla will often stop eating for a few days and then resume; if it doesn't start eating within several days something could be wrong. If it can't be pregnancy, you may want to see your vet or consult with a knowledgable person.

Diarhea and constipation can be signs of too many treats, moldy hay, or problems with the GI (digestive system) tract. For minor diarhea, don't give your chin any treats, check the feed and hay for any signs of mold, dust, or contamination. You can try giving it a piece of shredded wheat cereal. If it persists or worsens something might be seriously wrong. For constipation you can try giving a little apple sauce or an apple wedge to try and "loosen things up."

Light teeth and seizures can both signify problems with the diet. Some seizures may be caused by a lack of calcium in the diet and light teeth are usually a sign of a lack of various nutrients in the feed. You may need to change or supplement your feeding program. Some seizures are also linked to genetics; if it is genetic there really isn't anything you can do about it.
Chewed or patchy fur and bald spots can mean many things. Bald spots that are red and crusty on the body or around the nose or eyes could be ringworm. Ringworm can be treated by putting an anti-fungal powder in the dust bath until symptoms clear up. Fur chewing can be a result of boredom, genetics, or other factors. If it is genetic, the only way to prevent it is to buy a chin from a line of "non-fur chewers." If it is boredom, try and put more interest into your chin's life. Add a wheel, toys, a cage mate, or more attention.

Other signs of illness including weight loss, lethargy, severe diarhea, discharge from mouth, rear, eyes, or nose, and drooling can all signify severe health problems. Chins are susceptible to a number of GI tract infections (giardia, etc.) that can kill your chinchilla if not treated properly. If you suspect one, get your chin to a vet asap. Tooth problems are another severe problem. They can be caused by genetics, accidents, or not enough to chew on. Try and not buy a chinchilla that comes from a line with known tooth problems. Keep plenty of things in your chin's cage for it to chew on and if your chinchilla starts drooling get it to a vet.

When in doubt check with your vet, breeder, pet shop, or other knowledgable sources. Chinchillas are usually very healthy if properly cared for. Watch for signs of illness and start with healthy animals and you shouldn't have many problems. This page is a brief introduction to chinchilla health, not a medical reference manual. The information on it is meant as an introduction and a brief overview of chinchilla health; if you suspect that your chinchilla is sick, please refer to a vet or other source before beginning any kind of treatment.

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